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Well pump pressure switch

01-30-2014, 07:35 PM

Well our electric bill was a little high this month so the wife called them to see if they know why. They gave her some things to look at. We do have a new freezer but its outside in the cold, 13* now and I dont think it runs much. The also said check your well pump to see it it stays on.
I checked and it was on and did not turn off. I lowered the pressure and it shuts off now.
Before I lowered it it would not go above 55psi. Now it shuts off at 50.
Do you think it is the pressure switch or the we should look at the pump.
We do have a high water table here.

A submersible pump should easily overcome 50 psi. If it's submersible, then there is something amiss. A leak, weak pump, etc.

A typical "Jet" pump will often struggle in the the 50-60 psi range. So it will run, run, run, trying to get to the cutoff pressure. Doesn't mean there is anything wrong with the pump at all. Just how it works.

Comment

It is a submersible pump. I dont know how deep or the age of it.
There is a cistern tank next to the well pipe because when the pump is off the water comes up the casing. They put a tap in the casting about 4 feet down and it flows into the cistern then back into the ground.
I also need to check the pressure in the pressure tank.

Comment

Chances are if the pump kept running for any length of time without moving water, the water got hot enough to nuke a couple of impellers which would lower the pumps pressure capability. Either that or you have a leak somewhere between the pump and the tank, but you would have to have a check valve at the tank to keep the pump from continuously cycling on and off. So if there is no check valve that you can see and the pump stays off with no water usage, it's the pump. The only other thing would be the water in the casing dropping below the pump, but from your description, it doesn't sound likely. It's not the switch because by lowering the pressure it did what it's supposed to do.

Comment

Im going to do some testing tomorrow. The water temp in the well is about 45* so im sure it did not burn up the pump.
Im going to check the pressure in the pressure tank.
The pipe that comes from the well is well below our freeze depth. If there is a leak I cant see any thing with 12" of snow and frozen ground.

Comment

Im going to do some testing tomorrow. The water temp in the well is about 45* so im sure it did not burn up the pump.
Im going to check the pressure in the pressure tank.
The pipe that comes from the well is well below our freeze depth. If there is a leak I cant see any thing with 12" of snow and frozen ground.

Remember, you don't necessarily have to see a leak. Much easier to gauge it most of the time. Check that switch pipe.

Comment

the submersible pump should be able to handle about 10 hours of runtime before the impellers fail from heat. if it has problems producing 50 psi i vote for a leak in the system.

Since I am never there until the pump has failed, I can't argue that statement, but I have been working on jet pumps that after running for only ten minutes without moving water getting quite warm. The friction from a bunch of impellers spinning at 3450 RPM's can heat up a half gallon of water or so in quite a hurry.

Comment

I shut off the power at 11pm and when I got up at 6 there was no water. So it may be the check valve. Now there is one up at the pressure tank, is there one ot the pump also.
What is tour thought about the check valve not holding and the pressure going back down to the pump.

Comment

I shut off the power at 11pm and when I got up at 6 there was no water. So it may be the check valve. Now there is one up at the pressure tank, is there one ot the pump also.
What is tour thought about the check valve not holding and the pressure going back down to the pump.

There should be. Sometimes it is field installed at the pump head. Many times it is built into the pump itself. Gauge it on the inlet side of the check valve at the tank and you'll know if you have a failed check (doubtful, but possible) in the well or more likely, a hole in a pipe or metallic fitting.

Comment

Thanks
There is a check on the inlet pipe from the well just before the tank and pressure switch.
We have had a very cold winter up here so the freeze line may have dropped in the ground.
I will go and change the check close to the tank now.